Dadswell Bridge turkey farmer wary of new bird flu

The ABC has reported that several thousand turkeys will be slaughtered at two Victorian properties after a new strain of the avian influenza virus was found.

The virus spread from a property north-west of Geelong at Lethbridge to Bairnsdale in East Gippsland, after turkeys were transported between the two properties.

Dadswells Bridge turkey farmer Daryl Deutscher said if the virus remained isolated to those two farms, there was no cause for serious concern.

"At this stage, no I'm not too worried," he said. "But you never know what tomorrow might bring.

"If you saw it on another farm a few days later, then you'd be getting nervous."

READ MORE:

Mr Deutscher, who runs Deutscher's Turkey Farm, said he presumed the virus initially came from wild animals.

"I guess it is a bit of a concern when you hear about it again," he said.

"I think the last one near us was about 10 to 15 years ago, when there was an outbreak at Happy Hens between Ballarat and Geelong.

"All you can do is just cautiously go ahead and keep your ear to the ground about what's going on.

"I hope the department does all that they are capable of doing and are able to curtail it."

A Department of Health and Human Services statement also warned owners of backyard chickens to be alert.

"On rare occasions, this strain of avian influenza has been known to infect and cause disease in humans who have had close contact with infected poultry," the DHHS warning states.

"Only people who come into close contact with infected birds or their secretions, or are close contacts of confirmed cases, are considered at risk."

Did you know you can receive updates straight to your inbox? To make sure you're up-to-date with news from across the region, sign up below.